Proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude.

HJR 186 proposes adding a new section to the Texas Constitution that explicitly prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances, including as punishment for a crime. This constitutional amendment would directly affect all Texans by enshrining this prohibition into the state's foundational law. The bill's key mechanism is creating a new Article I, Section 37 to ban these practices, followed by a voter referendum scheduled for November 4, 2025. The ballot will ask voters to approve the proposition: "The constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude."